[2025 Dongtai Attraction] Travel Guide for Haichunxuan Tower (Updated Jul)

📌Destination: Yancheng · Dongtai City (Yangtze River Delta Ecological Leisure Town) 🏙️City Impression: The Poetry of Wetland Cranes and Ancient Salt Fields ▶️Dongtai lies by the river and sea, boasting the rare global combination of intertidal wetlands and plain forests, along with a 2,000-year heritage of sea salt culture. Free from the hustle of popular cities, here you can watch migratory birds fly together, explore forest oxygen bars, and savor fresh river and sea delicacies. It’s the ideal "light vacation" destination in the Yangtze River Delta. 🏞️Must-Visit Attractions: A Duet of Nature and Culture 【Ecological Wonders】 1️⃣ Yellow Sea Seaside National Forest Park 🌟Highlights: The largest artificial Metasequoia forest in East China, with over 90% forest coverage and an abundance of negative oxygen ions. 🛝Activities: Cycle along the 5 km rainbow boardwalk, enjoy the misty forest light show, and check in at the Treehouse of the Cedar Tribe. 🏔️Tips: The Metasequoia forest turns golden-red in October-November, perfect for photography; a small train inside the park costs 30 RMB per person. 2️⃣ Tiaozi Ni Wetland (Core Area of World Natural Heritage) 🌟Highlights: The largest migratory stopover for the endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper globally, with a unique "tidal forest" landscape. 🛝Activities: ▶️Tide pooling and shell collecting (tools available for rent at 10 RMB/set) ▶️Birdwatching tower for photographing "thousands of birds returning to roost" (best time: 2 hours before high tide) 🏔️Tips: Check daily tide times on the "Dongtai Culture & Tourism" WeChat official account; free admission (shuttle bus 20 RMB mandatory). 【Cultural Exploration】 1️⃣ Xixi Tourism and Cultural Scenic Area ▶️Dong Yong and the Seven Fairies Cultural Park: Han-style architecture recreating the legend of the celestial couple; the nighttime live show "The Celestial Fate" is a must-see (ticket 80 RMB). ▶️Haichunxuan Pagoda: The oldest Tang dynasty pagoda in Jiangsu, standing for a thousand years without a foundation, free to visit. ▶️Limu Street: A Ming and Qing dynasty old street by the Salt Transport Canal, experience traditional salt making and straw weaving crafts. 2️⃣ Anfeng Ancient Street ▶️Salt Course Office: Exhibition on the salt transport history of the Ming dynasty’s Huaihai region, revealing the glory of the "World’s Salt Warehouse." ▶️Bao’s Mansion: Huizhou-style salt merchant residence, a treasure trove of brick carvings and woodwork art. 🍔Food Guide: A Feast of River and Sea Freshness 【Three Must-Try Dishes】 ✅ Dongtai Fish Soup Noodles ▶️Essence: Wild crucian carp and eel bones simmered for 3 hours, producing a milky white broth that is neither fishy nor greasy. 🏪Recommended Restaurants: Xu He Fish Soup Noodles (old brand, average 15 RMB per person) Red Lantern Noodle House (open 24 hours, crab roe adds extra flavor) ✅ Chenpi Wine Braised River Fresh ▶️Specialty: Local intangible cultural heritage chenpi wine used to cook pufferfish or shad, the wine aroma removes fishiness and the meat is tender. 🏪Recommended Restaurant: Haiwangfu Restaurant in Jianggang Town (pufferfish requires 1-day advance reservation). ✅ Qindong Crab 🕜Golden Season: September to November, blue shell, white belly, yellow hair, and golden claws, rich roe and full yellow. 🍽️How to Eat: Steamed with ginger vinegar dip, or as crab roe soup dumplings (recommended at Jinshuiwan Grand Hotel). 🕋【Snacks and Souvenirs】 🛍️ Fu’an Su’er Cake: Crispy pastry with red bean paste filling, sweet and savory flavors (made on-site in Fu’an Ancient Town). 🛍️ Spicy Shrimp Sauce: Fermented wild small shrimp, perfect for mixing with noodles (available at "Haisheng" supermarket). 🚄Transportation Guide: Seamless Green Travel 🚇External Transport High-speed rail: Shanghai/Nanjing → Dongtai Station (1.5-2.5 hours), 10-minute taxi to downtown. 🚘Self-driving: Exit "Dongtai" on Shenhai Expressway (G15), clear signs to attractions. 🛺Internal Transport 🚌Direct shuttle: High-speed rail station → Yellow Sea Forest Park / Tiaozi Ni (departures daily at 8:30/14:00, 15 RMB per person). 🛵Shared electric scooters: "Miaozou Travel" electric bikes cover the city, 3 RMB/20 minutes. 🚍Charter service: One-day wetland + forest tour car rental about 300 RMB (recommended via "Dongtai Changxing" platform). 🏯Accommodation Recommendations: From Forest Cabins to Ancient Town Inns ✅Forest-style Vacation ▶️Yellow Sea Forest Meiju Hotel: French resort style, window views of cedar forest (600 RMB and up, includes breakfast for two). ▶️Elf Guesthouse: Treehouse cluster deep in the forest with starry skylights (family-friendly, from 400 RMB). ✅Ancient Town Charm ▶️Xixi Caoshi Street Guesthouse: Song dynasty style courtyard, very convenient for night tours (200-350 RMB). ▶️Anfeng Ancient Town · Yanguan Inn: Century-old salt merchant residence converted, experience night patrols (from 150 RMB). ✅City Center Value ▶️All Seasons Hotel (Dongtai City Center): Walking distance to food street, free parking (under 200 RMB). 🏞️Travel Tips: 3 Days 2 Nights In-Depth Itinerary ✅Day 1: Wetland Ecological Adventure Morning: Tide pooling and birdwatching at Tiaozi Ni (bring waterproof shoe covers) Afternoon: Cycling and forest class at Yellow Sea Forest Park Overnight: Forest Meiju Hotel ✅Day 2: Salt Culture Time Travel Morning: Anfeng Ancient Street (Salt Course Office + Bao’s Mansion) Afternoon: Xixi Scenic Area (Haichunxuan Pagoda + The Celestial Fate show) Overnight: Caoshi Street Guesthouse ✅Day 3: Dongtai on the Palate Morning: Make Su’er cakes and buy spicy shrimp sauce in Fu’an Ancient Town Noon: Eat chenpi wine braised pufferfish in Jianggang Town Before departure: Take away fish soup noodles from "Red Lantern" in the city 📜Avoid Pitfalls and Seasonal Tips 🎫Ticket Savings Buy the "Dongtai Combo Ticket" (Xixi + Anfeng + Forest Park) on Trip.com one day in advance to save 30 RMB. Keep the shuttle bus ticket for Tiaozi Ni; multiple entries allowed on the same day. 🔆Best Seasons April-May: Fat razor clams at Tiaozi Ni, blooming Chinese violet cress in the forest. September-November: Peak birdwatching season + crab availability + Metasequoia color change. ⚠️Important Reminders Some protected areas in Tiaozi Ni require permits; do not enter core zones without authorization. Choose qualified restaurants for pufferfish (look for "Pufferfish Cooking License"). 📌The beauty of Dongtai lies in the flocks of birds soaring over the mudflats, the calls echoing from the millennia-old salt fields, and the warmth of a steaming bowl of fish soup noodles. Avoid the crowds and come to this underrated "Pearl of the Yellow Sea" to feel the healing power where nature and civilization intertwine!

The first stop of the New Year trip: Dongtai, Jiangsu I didn’t expect that there is such a treasure travel destination in Jiangsu!! This is also the origin of Dong Yong and the Seven Fairies~ Come here with your family this Spring Festival → Eat fish noodle soup | Visit the ancient town | See folk customs | Enjoy lanterns and fireworks Happy New Year [HeartBeat] How to get to [Awesome]? [HighSpeedRail] Dongtai Station—[CarFront] 10min [CarFront] Self-driving in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai [Chin]How to play? New Year Citywalk🚶 One-day Tour: [Caoshi Street→Xixi Ancient Town→Limu Street→Yanxi Academy→Haichunxuan Tower→Tea House→Caoshi Street Lanterns] [Love] Must-visit places: [One] Caoshi Street There are many Dongtai specialty snacks here, which are particularly lively at night. There are also many lanterns nearby, where you can check in! [Two] Xixi Ancient Town Xixi was the main place for collecting salt tax in history. It still preserves a large number of ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, including Taishan Temple, Limu Street, and Bazi Bridge. [Three] Haichunxuan Tower It was first built during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty. It has a long history of nearly 1,400 years and is one of the landmark buildings of Dongtai Xixi! [Four] Yanxi Academy This is related to Yan Shu, who once worked as a salt tax official in Xixi and has a strong scholarly atmosphere. [Five] Wenyan Tea House In the evening, you can drink tea and chat with friends here, it's really comfortable!! The environment is particularly elegant! [StarEyes] Tips!! [Sakura] There will also be super exciting intangible cultural heritage folk performances during the Spring Festival [Sakura] There are also local specialty snacks such as Dongtai fish soup noodles, and Dong Gege's big meat buns!! You can come here for breakfast in the morning~

【One Day Itinerary】 Nanjing → Zhuxi Ancient Town → Xixi Tianxianyuan Scenic Area We set off from Nanjing at 6:20 in the morning 🚘Transport: Nanjing-Zhuxi Ancient Town, self-driving is recommended, about 3 hours to arrive 1⃣️Zhuxi Ancient Town ⏰Arrived at the ancient town at 9:20 in the morning, parking is free, 🎫Admission: Free ✔️With green bricks and black tiles, carved windows, the ancient town is not big, but it is very exquisite ✔️Kuixing Pavilion: Together with the White Tiger Bridge, standing on the White Tiger Bridge and admiring Kuixing Pavilion, the spring breeze is really comfortable, and it's also very photogenic ✔️Confucian Temple: Next to Kuixing Pavilion, you can make wishes and pray for blessings ✔️Time Memory Hall: Understand the past and present of the ancient town ✔️Love Heart Rose Wall: A waterfall of roses! It's stunning and suitable for taking a set of stylish photos ✔️Yan+ Bookstore: A literary bookstore hidden in the town, great for checking in, taking photos, daydreaming, and reading ✔️Tiangong Outdoor Sculpture: A relatively modern art sculpture, good for taking photos ✔️Had Yan Shengli's wontons, heard that the town's night scene is also beautiful, will come again next time 2⃣️Xixi Tianxianyuan Scenic Area About 1 hour and 10 minutes drive from Zhuxi Ancient Town, 🅿️Parking is free 👇Tour order Haichun Tower Garden → Xixi Ancient Town → Dong Yong Seven Fairies Cultural Park The legend of Dong Yong and the Seven Fairies originated here, inherently romantic, even the street lamps are heart-shaped 🔸Haichun Tower More than 1300 years old, worth checking in 🔸Xixi Ancient Town ✔️Limu Ancient Street: Small bridges and flowing water have a Jiangnan charm, and you can also learn about Yancheng's sea salt culture of boiling sea for salt ✔️Grass Market Street: A foodie's paradise, gathering snacks from all over, I particularly like the baked buns here, with two flavors, sweet and salty, in one bun, very special ✔️The Dongtai hair embroidery left a deep impression, the embroideresses use hair as silk to create exquisite artworks ✔️The cultural and creative cups of Dong Yong and the Seven Fairies are so cute ⚠️The highlight is the 'Tianxianyuan' at 18:40 in the evening, a large-scale fairy fantasy live show, telling the romantic love story between Dong Yong and the Seven Fairies, dreamlike and memorable, the stage lighting is so beautiful, and there are many interactions between the actors and the audience ‼️Dressing reminder: When visiting Zhuxi Ancient Town or Xixi Ancient Town, it is recommended to wear solid colors with bright colors for a fresher and more artistic photo effect

The change of the sea and the sangtian, the passing of the years made the "old man" full of injuries, and the Haichunxuan Tower in the wind and rain stood upright and passed on the civilization of Dongtai. Haichunxuan Tower faces northwest, no platform, sub-step, inner hollow, the second and upper layers of the tower wall is very simple, no bucket arch, corner column, each layer has eight sets of gujarats, six floors 48 Buddhas. Above the bottom layer, there are seven layers, and the distance between each layer is small. The tower body and the tower above each layer have an inward curved curve. The shape of the tower is divided by layers, but the six or seven layers are The tower has a very small collection, and the height of the seventh floor is higher than the height of the other towers.